Portable basketball system

ABSTRACT

A portable basketball system may include a basketball goal and a support structure that is sized and configured to support the basketball goal above a support surface. The basketball system may also include one or more feet that are sized and configured to engage a support surface. The feet may be movable among a plurality of positions to facilitate, for example, leveling the basketball system, adjusting the height of the basketball system and/or holding the basketball system in a generally fixed location. In addition, the basketball system may include a support structure and the support structure may include a rear support member including a lower end connected to a rear portion of the base, a first front support member including a lower end connected to a front portion of the base and a second front support member including a lower end connected to the front portion of the base. If desired, the rear support member, the first front support member and the second front support member of the support structure may be disposed in a generally tripod-shaped configuration.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. provisionalpatent application Ser. No. 60/702,468, filed Jul. 26, 2005, entitledPORTABLE BASKETBALL SYSTEM, which is incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/333,912, filed Jan. 17, 2006, entitled PORTABLE BASKETBALLSYSTEM, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a basketball system and, in particular,to a portable basketball system that is capable of being selectivelymoved from one location to another location.

2. Description of Related Art

Basketball is a very popular game and many people desire to playbasketball at their home. Many basketball systems designed for home userequire the basketball system to be permanently fixed in a particularlocation. For example, many home basketball systems are permanentlypositioned on the edge of the driveway. Disadvantageously, mounting abasketball goal adjacent to the driveway of the home may create a riskof damage to cars using the driveway or cars that are parked nearby.Thus, one or more cars may have to be moved before the basketball goalmay be used. In addition, the cars and other objects may limit the useof the basketball system, and the cars and other objects may create arisk of injury to the players.

Permanent basketball systems designed for use at home may also bedifficult to install. For example, concrete or asphalt may be locatedwhere it is desired to install the permanent basketball system.Accordingly, the concrete or asphalt may have to be removed and/orreplaced to allow the basketball system to be installed. Undesirably,removing and/or replacing the concrete or asphalt may be difficult,time-consuming and expensive. In addition, this would most likelyprevent use of the driveway during the period of construction andrepair.

Permanent basketball systems that are installed at home are usuallylocated outdoors and are exposed to the harsh elements of the weatherthroughout the entire year. Disadvantageously, when conventionalpermanent basketball systems are constantly exposed to the elements suchas rain, snow, sleet, high temperatures and high humidity, variouscomponents of the basketball system may prematurely oxidize, corrode orrust. Premature oxidation, corrosion and rust can be particularlytroublesome in basketball goal assemblies that have any moving parts,such as height adjustment mechanisms or breakaway rim assemblies.Moreover, constant exposure to the elements may cause failure of suchmechanisms in some known basketball systems.

It is also known to use permanent basketball systems indoors. Indoorbasketball systems, however, often require a large amount of space andthe basketball goal must be located at least a few feet away from otherstructures to allow basketball to be played. For example, conventionalindoor basketball systems must generally be spaced away from the wallsso that the walls do not interfere while playing basketball. Thesepermanent basketball systems may limit or prevent the space from beingused for other purposes. For example, schools typically have a gymnasiumand basketball goals may be located near the ends or sides of thegymnasium. The basketball goals may undesirably preclude or interferewith use of the gymnasium for other purposes. In addition, on formaloccasions, objection may be made to the appearance of the permanentlymounted basketball goals.

Portable basketball systems that are movable from one location toanother location are also known. Conventional portable basketballsystems typically require a large amount of weight so that thebasketball goal remains in a generally rigid, upright position for usewhen playing basketball or shooting baskets. In particular, manyconventional portable basketball systems require a large and heavy baseto prevent the basketball system from undesirably moving. The large andheavy base, however, often makes the basketball system very difficult tomove and may require the assistance of several people to set up orrelocate the basketball goal. Additionally, these known basketballsystem may be very expensive and that may prohibit people from usingthese systems at home.

Conventional portable basketball systems may use removable weights, suchas sand bags or metal weights, which help maintain the basketball systemin a fixed position. Disadvantageously, these removable weights can beextremely heavy, difficult to lift and hard to position in the desiredlocation. Accordingly, although these basketball systems using removableweights may be easier to move in relation to permanently mounted goalassemblies, the weights or weighted members are often not easy to move,lift or position.

In an attempt to make portable basketball goal assemblies that arebetter suited for home use, large support bases with a large hollowcavity for receiving ballast material, such as sand or water, have beendeveloped. These conventional portable basketball systems may be movedinto the desired location and then the support base may be filled withballast such as sand or water. The ballast adds weight to the portablebasketball system and helps prevent the basketball system fromundesirably moving during use. Disadvantageously, the sand or water mayhave to be removed to allow the portable basketball system to be moved,which may be very difficult and inconvenient. For example, the portablebasketball system may have to be tilted or placed on its side to allowthe sand or water to be removed. In addition, having to fill and emptythe support base with sand or water each time the goal is to be set upor moved may require an undesirable amount of time and effort, which maylimit the use and effectiveness of the basketball system.

The support bases for conventional portable basketball systems are quitelarge because these types of basketball systems generally require alarge amount of weight to maintain the basketball system in a stationaryposition while playing basketball. Undesirably, the large size of thesupport base may significantly increase shipping costs because of thesize of the packaging. In addition, the large size of the support basemay increase storage costs because the size of the packaging. Further,because the support bases for conventional portable basketball systemsare large, a considerable amount of material is required to constructthe base. Accordingly, this may also increase the cost of the portablebasketball system.

It is known to use portable basketball systems in a wide variety ofareas such as in driveways and cul-de-sacs. Disadvantageously, manydriveways and cul-de-sacs are not level and may contain uneven or slopedsurfaces. Accordingly, the goal of many conventional portable basketballsystems may also be uneven or sloped. That is, when these portablebasketball systems are used on uneven or sloped surfaces, the basketballgoals may not properly positioned in an upright position and the rim maynot be located in a horizontal position. In addition, these knownportable basketball systems may be more susceptible to undesirablemovement when positioned on uneven or sloped surfaces.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A need therefore exists for a portable basketball system that eliminatesor diminishes the disadvantages and problems described above.

One aspect is a basketball system that may be selectively moved from onelocation to another location. Desirably, the basketball system is aportable basketball system that is readily capable of being moved.Advantageously, the basketball system may be quickly and easily movedfrom one location to another, and the basketball system may be movableby a single person, if desired.

Another aspect is a basketball system that may include a supportstructure and a basketball goal. The basketball goal may include abackboard and a rim, and the support structure may support thebasketball goal above a support or playing surface. The supportstructure may include one or more interconnected support members. Forexample, the support structure may include two front support members anda rear support member, and the support members may advantageously helpconstruct a strong, stable and/or rigid support structure.

Yet another aspect is a basketball system that may include a base. Thebase may be sized and configured to receive ballast (such as sand, waterand the like), which may help prevent the basketball system fromundesirably moving. For example, the base may include a hollow interiorportion that is sized and configured to receive ballast.

Still another aspect is a basketball system that may include one or morewheels, which may facilitate movement of the basketball system. Forexample, the wheels may be disposed proximate the front portion of thebasketball system and the system may be pivoted onto the wheels tofacilitate movement.

Another aspect is a basketball system that may include a base, a supportstructure and a basketball goal assembly connected to the supportstructure. The basketball goal assembly may include a backboard, a rimand/or a net; and the support structure may include one or more supportmembers. The basketball rim, for example, may have a displaceable (orbreak away) configuration or a fixed configuration, and the basketballbackboard may have a variety of suitable configurations andarrangements. The support structure may be used to support thebasketball goal assembly at a desired height about a playing surface.The support structure may have various configurations and the supportstructure may be used to allow the height of the basketball goalassembly to be varied or adjusted. The base may be sized and configuredto support the support structure and the basketball goal assembly in adesired position. The base may also be sized and configured to holdballast, such as water or sand, to help maintain the base in the desiredposition.

A further aspect is a basketball system that may include a supportstructure, which may include a plurality of members. For example, thesupport structure may include three support poles. As shown in theaccompanying figures, two support poles may be disposed proximate afront portion of the base and the other support pole may be disposedproximate a rear portion of the base. It will be appreciated that thesupport structure could have other suitable arrangements andconfigurations.

Advantageously, the support structure may be sized and configured tosecurely support the basketball goal assembly. For example, the threeelongated support members or poles may be securely connected to the baseand the support members may be securely interconnected. In particular,one end of the support members may be connected to the base and theother end of the support members may be connected. In greater detail, asshown in the accompanying figures, two of the support members may havegenerally the same length and the other support member may have adifferent length. Thus, the end of the two support members withgenerally the same length may be connected to a portion of the othersupport member. Therefore, the support members may securely support thebasketball goal assembly.

Significantly, the support structure may be permanently or selectivelyattached to the base and/or the basketball goal assembly. For example,all or a portion of the support structure may be connected to the baseby mechanical fasteners, a friction fit, snap fit, interference fit andthe like. All or a portion of the support structure may also bepivotally connected to the base. In particular, the ends of two supportmembers may be disposed in receiving portions formed in the base andthese support members may be connected to the base using mechanicalfasteners, a friction fit, snap fit, interference fit and the like. Theend of the third support member may be pivotally connected to the base.For example, a pivot member may be used to pivotally attach this supportmember to the base and a retaining member may be sized and configured toretain the support member in a fixed position. It will be understoodthat the support structure may be connected to the base in a variety ofsuitable configurations and arrangements.

Another aspect is a basketball system that may include a supportstructure with supports that are disposed at an angle relative to theplaying surface. For example, the support structure may include twoelongated members that are disposed proximate the front of the base andthese elongated members may be angled away from the playing surface.These elongated members may include one or more connecting portions thatinterconnect the elongated members and the upper portion of theelongated members may be connected to another elongated member. Theconnecting portions and/or the support members may act as a backstop andthese components may help basketballs and/or basketball players fromcontacting the base. These components may also tend to return thebasketball towards the playing surface instead of allowing thebasketball to bounce away from the playing surface. Advantageously, theelongated members may create a strong and sturdy support structure. Inaddition, the ends of the elongated members may be disposed in receivingportions that are located near the ground or lower portion of the base.This may minimize any flexing, bending and/or twisting of the base.Further, these receiving portions may allow the elongated members to bequickly and easily located in the desired positions. It will beappreciated that the base may include any suitable number of receivingportions, but the receiving portions are not required.

Advantageously, because the support structure may be quickly and easilyconnected to the base, the basketball goal assembly and/orinterconnected, this may facilitate storage and/or shipping of thebasketball system. For example, the support structure may include threesupport members and two support members may be disposed in receivingportions formed in the base. The third support member may be pivotallyconnected to the base and when the support members are aligned in thedesired configuration, then the support members may be interconnected toprovide a strong and sturdy support structure. If desired, one or moresmall wedges may be used to position the support members in the desiredlocations. For instance, the wedges may be used to position the supportmember that is pivotally connected to the base in the desired location.Significantly, the wedges may allow the support members to be quicklyand easily positioned in the desired location and the wedges may helpprevent the support members from unintentionally moving.

A further aspect is a basketball system that may include engagingmembers, such as feet, which may be sized and configured to help retainthe basketball system in a generally fixed or stationary position. Thefeet, for example, may be sized and configured to engage a support orplaying surface to help retain the basketball system in a generallyfixed or stationary position. The feet may also assist in levelingand/or adjusting the position of the basketball system. This may allow,for instance, allow the basketball system to be used on uneven orsloping surfaces.

A still further aspect is a basketball system that may include engagingmembers, such as feet, which may be sized and configured to adjust theorientation of the basketball goal. For example, the feet may be movablebetween a first position in which the basketball goal is at a firstorientation and a second position in which the basketball goal is at asecond orientation. Advantageously, this may allow the basketball goalto be disposed in an upright position and/or the rim to be placed in ahorizontal position even when the basketball system is placed on anon-planar and/or non-level support surface.

Yet another aspect is a basketball system that may include engagingmembers, such as feet, which may be sized and configured to adjust theheight of the basketball goal. For example, the feet may be movablebetween a first position in which the basketball goal is at a firstheight and a second position in which the basketball goal is at a secondheight.

Still another aspect is a basketball system that may include anadjustment assembly that is sized and configured to adjust theorientation of the basketball goal. For example, the adjustment assemblymay be used to position the basketball goal in a desired orientationwhen the basketball goal is at a particular height. In particular, theadjustment assembly may adjust the orientation of the basketball goal bytilting or moving the basketball goal relative to the support structure.For instance, the adjustment assembly may move the basketball goalforward, backwards and/or sideways. This may allow the basketball goalto be disposed in an upright position and/or the rim to be placed in ahorizontal position even when the basketball system is placed on asloped or uneven surface.

Advantageously, the adjustment assembly may be used to connect thebasketball goal to the support structure. For example, the adjustmentassembly may include a first pair of brackets connected to thebasketball goal and a second pair of brackets connected to the supportstructure. The first and second pairs of brackets may be interconnectedin various relative positions to adjust the orientation of thebasketball goal.

Still yet another aspect is a basketball system that may include abasketball goal that is adjustable in height, which may allow thebasketball system to be used by children and adults. Preferably, theheight and orientation of the basketball goal is adjustable tofacilitate use of the basketball system in a wide variety ofenvironments, locations and settings.

A still further aspect is a basketball system may include a barrier,guard and/or rebound device. For example, the basketball system mayinclude a support structure and the barrier may be connected to a frontportion of the support structure. The barrier may help prevent damageand/or contact to the basketball system. For instance, the barrier mayhelp prevent damage and/or contact with the support structure and/or thebase. In addition, the barrier may act as a rebound device so that whena basketball strikes the barrier, the basketball is rebounded towardsthe basketball court. Significantly, because the basketball may berebounded towards the basketball court and not away from the court, aplayer may not have to chase a loose basketball and that may makeplaying basketball more enjoyable. Further, the barrier may help tostrengthen and/or reinforce the support structure.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more fully apparent from the following detaileddescription of preferred embodiments and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The appended drawings contain figures of preferred embodiments tofurther illustrate and clarify the above and other aspects, advantagesand features of the present invention. It will be appreciated that thesedrawings depict only preferred embodiments of the invention and are notintended to limit its scope. The invention will be described andexplained with additional specificity and detail through the use of theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary portable basketball system;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the exemplary portable basketballsystem;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the exemplary portable basketball system;

FIG. 4 is a right side view of the exemplary portable basketball system;

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the exemplary portable basketball system;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the exemplary portable basketball system;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged right side view of a portion of the exemplaryportable basketball system;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged left side view of a portion of the exemplarybasketball system shown;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged upper perspective view of a portion of theexemplary portable basketball system, illustrating a support memberconnected to the base;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged lower perspective view of a portion of theexemplary portable basketball system, illustrating a support memberconnected to the base;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged upper perspective view of a portion of theexemplary portable basketball system, illustrating a portion of thebase; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged upper perspective view of a portion of theexemplary portable basketball system, illustrating a portion of asupport member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is generally directed towards a basketball system.The principles of the present invention, however, are not limited to abasketball system. It will be understood that, in light of the presentdisclosure, the basketball system disclosed herein can be successfullyused in connection with other types of structures and devices, such asother types of sporting equipment.

Additionally, to assist in the description of the basketball system,words such as top, bottom, front, rear, right and left may be used todescribe the accompanying figures, which are not necessarily drawn toscale. It will be appreciated, however, that the basketball system canbe located in a variety of desired positions—including various angles,sideways and even upside down. A detailed description of the basketballsystem now follows.

As shown in FIGS. 1-6, an exemplary basketball system 10 may include asupport structure 12 and a basketball goal 14. The basketball system 10shown in the accompanying figures and described in more detail below isa portable basketball system that is sized and configured to beselectively moved from one location to another location. This may allowthe basketball system 10 to be quickly and easily moved, and thebasketball system may be capable of being moved by a single person, ifdesired. It will be appreciated, however, that the basketball system 10does not have to be a portable basketball system and, for example, thebasketball system may be a permanent basketball system.

The basketball goal 14 may include a backboard 16 and a rim 18, and thesupport structure 12 may be sized and configured to support thebasketball goal above a support or playing surface. For example, thesupport structure 12 may include one or more elongated support membersand these elongated support members may be connected, which may form astrong and sturdy support for the basketball goal. In greater detail, asshown in the accompanying figures, the support structure 12 may includethree elongated support members. In particular, the support structure 12may include two front elongated support members 20, 22 and one rearelongated support member 24. The front elongated support members 20, 22preferably have about the same length and are preferably disposed at anangle relative to each other. For instance, the lower portions of thefront support 20, 22 members are preferably separated by a largerdistance than the upper portions of the front support members. Thus, thefront support members 20, 22 may be angled inwardly.

Additionally, as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the front elongated supportmembers 20, 22 are preferably disposed in a generally upwardconfiguration and the front elongated support members are preferablyangled slightly rearwardly. For example, the front elongated supportmembers 20, 22 may be angled rearwardly between about 5° and about 15°.It will be appreciated that the front elongated support members 20, 22may also be disposed at other angles and in other configurationsdepending, for example, upon the configuration of the support structure12.

The rear elongated support member 24 preferably has a length that islarger than the length of the front elongated support members 20, 22.The rear elongated support member 24 is also preferably disposed in agenerally upward configuration and the rear elongated support member ispreferably angled forwardly. In particular, as best seen in FIGS. 1, 4and 5, the rear elongated support member 24 is preferably angledforwardly at an angle between about 15° and about 45°. As shown in theaccompanying figures, the rear support member 24 may be angled forwardlyat a greater angle than the front support members 20, 22 extendrearwardly. Additionally, the ends of the front elongated supportmembers 20, 22 are preferably spaced apart from the end of the rearelongated support member 24. It will be appreciated that the rearelongated support member 24 may also be disposed at other angles and inother configurations depending, for example, upon the configuration ofthe support structure 12.

The front and rear elongated support members 20, 22, 24 are preferablyinterconnected to form a three-legged support structure 12.Advantageously, this configuration may help create a strong and sturdysupport structure 12. In greater detail, the front elongated supportmembers 20, 22 are preferably connected to the rear elongated supportmember 24 to form the three-legged support structure, which may have agenerally tripod-shaped configuration. In particular, the lower ends ofthe front elongated support members 20, 22 are preferably disposedproximate a front portion of a base 26 and the upper ends of the frontelongated support members are preferably attached to an upper portion ofthe rear elongated support member 24. Preferably, the upper ends of thefront elongated support members 20, 22 are attached at approximatelytwo-thirds of the height or length of the rear elongated support member24, but the front support members could be attached to any suitableportion of the rear elongated support member. Thus, while the frontelongated support members 20, 22 preferably have a length that is equalto about two-thirds of the length of the rear support member 24, thefront elongated support members could be longer or shorter.Advantageously, the front and rear support members 20, 22, 24 may bedirectly connected or indirectly connected, for example by brackets, tohelp create the support structure 12. The support members 20, 22, 24 mayalso be connected in other suitable arrangements and configurationsdepending, for example, upon the intended use of the basketball system10.

As best seen in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the upper end of the rear supportmember 24 is preferably generally vertically aligned with the lower endsof the front support members 20, 22. This may help create a sturdy andstable portable basketball system 10. It will be appreciated that thesupport structure 12 may also have other suitable shapes, sizes,configurations and arrangements depending, for example, upon theintended use of the basketball system 10. For instance, the supportstructure 12 may include other suitable numbers of elongated supportmembers and the elongated support members may be connected at otherappropriate angles, positions and the like.

The support structure 12 is preferably constructed from relativelystrong and sturdy materials such as steel. In particular, the supportstructure 12 may be constructed from metal tubing. Advantageously, themetal tubing may be relatively strong and lightweight. The metal tubingmay have a generally circular, square or rectangular cross-section andthe metal tubing may be interconnected together to create a strong,stable and/or rigid support structure 12. It will be appreciated thatthe metal tubing may be connected using fasteners, welding, adhesivesand the like. It will also be appreciated that the support structure 12may be constructed from other materials with suitable characteristicsand these portions of the basketball system 10 may have a variety ofappropriate shapes, sizes, configurations and arrangements depending,for example, upon the intended use of the basketball system.

The basketball system 10 may include a base 26 and the base may be sizedand configured to receive ballast (such as sand, water and the like),which may help prevent the basketball system 10 from undesirably moving.For example, the base 26 may include the receiving portion that is sizedand configured to receive ballast. If desired, the base 26 may alsosized and configured to receive and/or store items such as basketballs,nets and the like.

Advantageously, the base 26 may form part of a structural member of thebasketball system 10. For example, the base 26 may be sized andconfigured to receive and retain the support structure 12 in the desiredlocation. In particular, the front elongated support members 20, 22 maybe connected to a front portion of the base 26 and the rear elongatedsupport member 24 may be connected to a rear portion of the base.Preferably, the support members 20, 22 and 24 are disposed proximate theedges or perimeter of the base 26, but the support members may beconnected to any desired portions of the base. Significantly, no othercomponents may be required to connect the ends of the support members20, 22 and 24. It will be appreciated, however, that the base 26 doesnot have to form a structural member of the basketball system 10 and thesupport members 20, 22 and 24 may be connected using other componentsand structures.

The basketball system 10 may include wheels to facilitate movement ofthe basketball system. For example, the basketball system 10 may includetwo wheels 28, 30 that are connected to the base 26, but the wheels maybe connected to other suitable portions of the basketball system 10. Thewheels 28, 30 are preferably constructed from injection molded plasticand the wheels preferably have a wide, thick and relatively largediameter to create strong and sturdy wheels. The wheels 28, 30 may alsoinclude rounded pads that may facilitate removal of the wheels from amold. In addition, the wheels 28, 30 may include one or more overlappingportions and ribs, which may be used to enhance the appearance of thewheels. It will be appreciated that the basketball system 10 may haveany number of wheels with various suitable shapes, sizes andconfigurations, which may be constructed using any suitable materialsand processes. It will also be appreciated that the basketball system 10does not require any wheels.

The wheels 28, 30 may be disposed such that the wheels contact a supportsurface to facilitate movement of the basketball system 10. The wheels28, 30 may also be positioned so that the wheels are spaced apart fromthe support surface. The basketball system 10 may be moved, for example,by tilting or pivoting the system onto the wheels 28, 30. It will beunderstood that the wheels 28, 30 may have other suitable configurationsand arrangements, be attached to other portions of the basketball system10, and the basketball system may be moved in other appropriate manners.

The basketball system 10 may also include one or more engaging members,such feet, stops, contacts or the like, that are sized and configured toengage a support surface, such as the playing surface. The engagingmembers may also be sized and configured to help maintain the basketballsystem in a generally fixed or stable position. In greater detail, asshown in FIGS. 2-5, the basketball system 10 may include a first foot 32and a second foot 34 and the feet may be connected to the supportstructure 12. In particular, the first foot 32 may be connected to thefirst elongated support member 20 and the second foot 34 may beconnected to the second elongated support member 22. It will beappreciated that the basketball system 10 may include any suitablenumber of engaging members and the engaging members may be connected toany appropriate portions of the basketball system. It will also beappreciated that the engaging members may have various shapes, sizesconfigurations and arrangements depending, for example, upon theintended use of the basketball system 10.

The base 26 may be sized and configured to allow the feet 32, 34 toengage the support surface. For example, the feet 32, 34 may beconnected to the front elongated support members 20, 22 and the feetand/or support members may extend through openings or cutouts in thebase 26. This may allow the feet 32, 34 to engage the support surface.Thus, the base 26 and/or feet 32, 34 may engage the support surface,which may help prevent the basketball system 10 from undesirably moving.In addition, if the feet 32, 34 contact the support surface, then thefeet may support at least a portion of the weight of the basketballsystem 10 and that may apply less weight on the base 26, which may helpprevent damage to the base. Further, the support members 20, 22 and/orfeet 32, 34 may be connected to the base 26 and/or disposed within theopenings or cutouts in the base. Preferably, the support members 20, 22and/or feet 32, 34 are connected to and/or disposed proximate a lowerportion of the base 26, but the support members and/or feet may beconnected to any suitable portions of the base.

The feet 32, 34 may be movable among a plurality of positions relativeto the basketball system 10. For example, the feet 32, 34 may include athreaded portion and the support members 20, 22 may include a threadedportion adapted to mate with and receive the threaded portion of thefeet. This may allow the feet 32, 34 to be moved relative to the supportmembers 20, 22 to allow the support members and the feet to be connectedin various relative positions. Although the threaded portions of thesupport members 20, 22 and the feet 32, 34 may be used to position thesupport members and feet in a variety of relative positions, it will beappreciated that the support members and feet do not require anythreaded portions and that the support members and feet may bepositioned in a variety of relative positions using any other suitablemeans. As discussed below, moving the feet 32, 34 relative to thesupport structure 12 may allow the basketball system 10 to be disposedin a desired location, help level or adjust the basketball system,and/or allow the height of the basketball system to be adjusted.

In greater detail, the feet 32, 34 may be movable between a position inwhich the feet engage a support surface and a position in which the feetare spaced apart from the support surface. The feet 32, 34 may also bemovable between a position in which the wheels 28, 30 engage the supportsurface and a position in which the wheels are spaced apart from thesupport surface. Thus, for instance, the feet 32, 34 may be moved sothat the wheels 28, 30 are spaced apart from the support surface and thefeet securely engage the support surface so that the basketball system10 may be held in a generally fixed or stationary position. On the otherhand, the basketball system 10 may be configured such that when the feet32, 34 securely engage the support surface, then the basketball system10 is held in a generally fixed or stationary position even if thewheels 28, 30 engage the support surface. In addition, the feet 32, 34may be moved so that the feet are spaced apart from the support surface,which may facilitate movement of the basketball system 10. Therefore,when the feet 32, 34 are spaced apart from the support surface and/orwhen the wheels 28, 30 engage the support surface, the basketball system10 may be readily portable and more easily moved to a desired location.In contrast, if the feet 32, 34 engage the support surface and/or thewheels 28, 30 are spaced apart from the support surface, then thebasketball system 10 may be held in a generally fixed or stationaryposition.

The feet 32, 34 are preferably moved independently, which may allow thefeet to be separately adjusted. Thus, one foot may contact the supportsurface while the other foot is spaced apart from the support surface.In addition, the feet 32, 34 may be used to locate the basketball goal14 in various desired positions or orientations. The feet 32, 34 mayalso be used to adjust the positioning of the basketball goal 14. Forexample, the feet 32, 34 may be movable between a first position inwhich the basketball goal 14 is at a first orientation and a secondposition in which the basketball goal 14 is at a second orientation.This may allow the basketball goal 14 to be disposed in an uprightposition even when the basketball system 10 is placed on a non-planarand/or non-level support surface. Therefore, the basketball system 10may be used on uneven or sloped support surface.

In greater detail, if the basketball goal 14 is not located in anupright position when resting on a particular support surface, some orall of the feet 32, 34 may be moved to tilt or position the basketballgoal 14 in the desired. For example, the first foot 32 may be movedupwardly to tilt the basketball system 10 and the basketball goal 14 inone direction, or the foot may be moved downwardly to tilt thebasketball system and the basketball goal in the other direction.Similarly, the second foot 34 may be moved downwardly to tilt thebasketball system 10 and the basketball goal 14 in one direction, or thefoot may be moved upwardly to tilt the basketball system and thebasketball goal in the other direction.

Additionally, the feet 32, 34 may be sized and configured to allow theheight of the basketball goal 14 to be adjusted. For example, the feet32, 34 may be movable between a position in which the basketball goal 14is at a first height and a position in which the basketball goal 14 isat a second height. The basketball system 10 may also include, ifdesired, a height adjustment mechanism such as disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,120,396; 6,273,834; and 6,699,146, which are incorporated byreference in their entireties.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4-8, the basketball system 10 may includean adjustment assembly 36 that may be sized and configured to adjust thepositioning or orientation of the basketball goal 14. For example, theadjustment assembly 36 may adjust the positioning or orientation of thebasketball goal 14 by, for example, tilting or moving the basketballgoal forward, backwards and/or sideways. Desirably, the adjustmentassembly 36 may be used to move the basketball goal 14 from a firstgenerally fixed position in which the basketball goal is in oneorientation to a second generally fixed position in which the basketballgoal is in a different orientation. Consequently, the adjustmentassembly 36 may allow a person to properly position the basketball goal14 in an upright position, even when the basketball system 10 is placedon a non-planar and/or non-level support surface.

The adjustment assembly 36 may include a first bracket 38, a secondbracket 40, a third bracket 42 and a fourth bracket 44. The brackets 38,40 may be connected to the support structure 12 or a height adjustmentmechanism and the brackets 42, 44 may be connected to the basketballgoal 14. In particular, the brackets 42, 44 may be connected to thebackboard 16 or a portion of the backboard, such as a backboard bracketor frame, but the brackets could be attached to any suitable portions ofthe basketball goal 14.

The brackets 38, 40, 42, 44 preferably include one or more openings thatallow the brackets to be connected. Preferably, the brackets 38, 40, 42,44 can be connected in various positions or at different angles to allowthe position or angle of the basketball goal 14 to be adjusted. Forexample, the brackets may include openings that are sized and configuredto allow the first bracket 38 to be connected to the third bracket 42and the second bracket 40 to be connected to the fourth bracket 44 byone or more fasteners. In greater detail, the first bracket 38 mayinclude openings 46, 48, 50 and the second bracket 40 may includeopenings 52, 54, 56. The third and fourth brackets 42, 44 may includecorresponding openings so that a fastener may extend through thecorresponding openings to allow the brackets to be interconnected.Specifically, a fastener 58 may extend through the opening 46 in thefirst bracket and a corresponding opening in the third bracket 42 toconnect the first and third brackets. Similarly, fasteners 60, 62 mayextend through the openings 48, 50 in the first bracket andcorresponding openings in the third bracket 42 to connect the first andthird brackets. Likewise, fasteners 64, 66, 68 may extend through theopenings 52, 54, 56 in the second bracket 40 and corresponding openingsin the fourth bracket 44 to connect the second and fourth brackets. Itwill be appreciated that the brackets 38, 40, 42, 44 may be connected inother suitable configurations and arrangements. For instance, a singlefastener may be used to connect all four of the brackets.

The openings in the brackets 38, 40, 42, 44 are preferably sized andconfigured to allow the brackets to be connected in various positionsand at different angles. For example, the openings 46, 48, 50 in thefirst bracket 38 may consist of slots that are disposed at differentangles and the slots may have different lengths. Similarly, the openings52, 54, 56 in the second bracket 40 may also consist of slots that aredisposed at different angles and the slots may have different lengths.The slots are preferably sized and configured to allow the brackets 38,40, 42, 44 to be connected in a variety of suitable arrangements andconfigurations. In addition, the slots 48, 54 may include a serratedportion with a plurality of projections and recesses. The recesses arepreferably sized and configured to receive and retain a fastener in agenerally fixed location, which may assist in the positioning of thebrackets 38, 40, 42, 44 and the basketball goal 14.

In order to adjust the positioning of the brackets 38, 40, 42, 44 and/orthe basketball goal 14, some or all of the fasteners 58, 60, 62, 64, 66,68 may be loosened and/or detached. The brackets 38, 40, 42, 44 and/orthe basketball goal 14 may then be moved into the desired locations andthe fasteners 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68 may then be tightened and/orattached to secure the basketball goal in the desired orientation.

It will be appreciated that the brackets 38, 40, 42, 44 and openings 46,48, 50, 52, 54, 56 may have a wide variety of suitable shapes, sizes,configurations and arrangements depending, for example, upon theintended use of the basketball system 10. For example, the brackets 38,40, 42, 44 may include a plurality of openings and different openingsmay be used to connect the brackets in different positions. That is, afirst set of openings may be used to connect the brackets 38, 40, 42, 44in a first position and a second set of openings may be used to connectthe brackets in a second position. It will be appreciated that the firstand second sets of openings may include some of the same openings andthe openings may have any suitable sizes and configurations. Further, itwill be appreciate that not all the fasteners may have to be removed orloosened and other suitable types of devices and mechanisms may be usedto connect the basketball goal 14 to the support structure 12.

The adjustment assembly 36 may be connected to the support structure 12by one or more connecting members. For example, the support structure 12may include connecting members 70, 72, 74, 76 that are connected to therear elongated support member 24 and the adjustment assembly 36. Inparticular, the connecting members 70, 72 may be pivotally connected tothe bracket 38 of the adjustment assembly 36 and the support member 24of the support structure 12. The connecting members 74, 76 may bepivotally connected to the bracket 40 of the adjustment assembly 36 andthe support member 24 of the support structure 12. The connectingmembers 70, 72, 74, 76 may form a generally parallelogram-shapedconnection and the connecting members may allow the basketball goal 14to be moved relative to the support structure 14, which may allow theheight of the rim 18 to be adjusted. For instance, the basketball goal14 may be positioned so that the rim 18 is ten feet above the playingsurface, which is the conventional height for playing basketball. Thebasketball goal 14 may be moved to other positions in which the rim 18is disposed at other heights, such as nine feet, eight feet, seven feet,six feet and the like. Advantageously, this may allow children andothers to play basketball. The rim 18 may also be disposed at greaterheights, if desired.

A height adjustment mechanism may be to adjust the height of thebasketball goal 14. The height adjustment mechanism may be connected tothe connecting members 70, 72, 74, 76 and the support structure 12.Additional information regarding other suitable configurations andaspects of height-adjustable basketball goals and, in general,basketball systems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,417; U.S. Pat.No. 5,879,247; U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,177; U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,396; U.S.Pat. No. 6,155,938; U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,901; U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,891;U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,834; U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,597; U.S. Pat. No.6,419,598; U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,644; U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,957; U.S. Pat.No. 6,645,095; U.S. Pat. No. 6,699,146; U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/706,637, which was filed on Aug. 8, 2005; andU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/333,914, which was filed on Jan. 17,2006. Each of these patents and applications are incorporated byreference in their entireties.

As shown in the accompanying figures and shown in the above-listedpatents and applications, the support structure 12 and the basketballgoal 14 may have a variety of suitable shapes, sizes, configurations andarrangements. In addition, the basketball goal 14 may be connected tothe support structure 12 using various suitable structures and varioustypes of structures may be used to adjust the height of the basketballgoal 14, if desired. Further, the basketball system 10 may also have avariety of suitable shapes, sizes, configurations and arrangementsdepending, for example, upon the intended use of the basketball system.

As shown in FIGS. 1-6, the basketball system 10 may include a barrier,guard or rebound portion 78, which may be disposed on or near a frontportion of the support structure 12. The barrier 78 may help to preventdamage to the base 26 and/or the support structure 12. In addition, thebarrier 78 may help prevent players or a basketball from inadvertentlycontacting the base 26 and/or the support structure 12 during play. Thebarrier 78 may also help to strengthen and/or reinforce the supportstructure 12. In addition, the barrier 78 may be sized and configured asa ball return. In particular, when basketball contacts the barrier 78,the barrier may advantageously guide the basketball to a particularposition. To help guide the basketball, the barrier 78 may be positionedat an angle at least about 70 degrees relative to the portion of asupport surface upon which the basketball system 10 rests. Inparticular, the barrier 78 is preferably positioned at an angle betweenabout 75 degrees and 85 degrees relative to the support surface uponwhich the basketball system 10 rests, but the barrier may be positionedat any suitable angle.

The barrier 78 may be connected to the support members 20, 22 of thesupport structure 12 using fasteners; adhesives; a snap fit, a frictionfit and/or an interference fit; and/or any other suitable means. In oneexemplary embodiment, the barrier 78 may be connected to the supportmembers 20, 22 by releasable connectors, such as clips, to allow thebarrier to be detached from the system if sufficient force is applied.

The barrier 78 may be constructed from plastic, such as high densitypolyethylene. Advantageously, the plastic may allow a barrier withincreased strength and rigidity to be constructed. The plastic may alsoallow a strong, sturdy and weather resistant barrier to be created. Thebarrier 78 may be constructed from blow-molded plastic, but otherprocesses such as injection molding, rotary molding, compression moldingand the like may also be used to construct the barrier. The barrier 78may also be constructed from other materials and processes with suitablecharacteristics.

Advantageously, if the barrier 78 is constructed from blow-moldedplastic, the barrier may be rigid, high-strength and capable ofwithstanding repeated use and wear. The blow-molded plastic barrier mayalso be easily manufactured and formed into the desired size and shape.In addition, the blow-molded plastic barrier may be strong andlightweight because the barrier may include two opposing walls that arespaced apart by a relatively small and generally constant distance.Further, the blow-molded plastic barrier may be lightweight because thebarrier may include a hollow interior portion, which may be formedduring the blow-molding process. The blow-molded plastic barrier mayalso include one or more depressions or tack-offs that may interconnectthe opposing walls and these depressions may further increase thestrength of the barrier.

As shown in FIG. 3, the blow-molded plastic barrier may include one ormore openings or cutouts 80, 82 that may interconnect the opposingwalls. These cutouts 80, 82 may be sized and configured to increase thestrength of the barrier by, for example, interconnecting the opposingwalls. The cutouts 80, 82 may be formed by removing a portion of theopposing walls that contact, abut and/or engage each other. It will beappreciated, however, that the cutouts 80, 82 may be formed in any othersuitable manner.

The barrier 78 could also be constructed from other suitable materialsand processes. For example, the barrier 78 may include a net, which mayinclude a relatively fine mesh that allows light to pass through and thenet may help to prevent damage to the base and/or support structure. Thebarrier 78 could have a variety of suitable sizes and configurations,but the basketball system 10 does not require the barrier.

As shown in FIGS. 9-12, the basketball system 10 may include one or morelocking members, which may be sized and configured to help connect thesupport structure 12 to the base 26. For example, the basketball system10 may include locking members 84, 86 that are connected to an axle 88and the support member 24. Advantageously, the locking members 84, 86and the support member 24 may be quickly and easily connected to theaxle 88. The base 26 may include receiving portions 90, 92 that aresized and configured to receive and/or retain at least a portion of thelocking members 84, 86. In particular, the receiving portions 90, 92 maybe sized and configured to secure the locking members in a generallyfixed position relative to the base. For example, the locking members84, 86 preferably have a generally wedge-shaped configuration, and thereceiving portions 90, 92 preferably have a complementary shapedconfiguration that is sized and configured to contact, abut and/orengage one or more portions of the locking members to secure the lockingmembers in a generally fixed position relative to the base.

The basketball system 10 may include another locking member 94 that maybe quickly and easily connected to the support member 24 by insertingthe locking member through one or more openings 96 in the supportmember. With the receiving portions 90, 92 receiving and/or retaining atleast a portion of the locking members 84, 86, the support member 24 maybe pivoted about the axle 88 to a desired position. The base 26 mayinclude one or more receiving portions 98, 100 sized and configured toreceive and/or retain a portion of the locking member 94 to secure thesupport member 24 in the desired position. For example, the receivingportions 98, 100 may be sized and configured to receive and/or retainthe locking member 94 using a snap fit, a friction fit and/or aninterference fit.

Although this invention has been described in terms of certain preferredembodiments, other embodiments apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe art are also within the scope of this invention. Accordingly, thescope of the invention is intended to be defined only by the claimswhich follow.

1. A portable basketball system comprising: a basketball goal includinga backboard and a rim; a base; a support structure connected to thebase, the support structure being sized and configured to support thebasketball goal above a playing surface, the support structurecomprising: a rear support member including a lower end connected to arear portion of the base and an upper end connected to the basketballgoal; a first front support member including a lower end connected to afront portion of the base and an upper end connected to the rear supportmember; and a second front support member including a lower endconnected to the front portion of the base and an upper end connected tothe rear support member; a height adjustment mechanism connected to thesupport structure, the height adjustment mechanism sized and configuredto adjust the height of the basketball goal between a plurality ofgenerally fixed heights above a support surface; and an adjustmentassembly connected to the basketball goal and the height adjustmentmechanism, the adjustment assembly being sized and configured to tiltthe basketball in a plurality of directions to adjust the orientation ofthe basketball goal while the basketball goal is at any of the pluralityof generally fixed heights.
 2. The portable basketball system as inclaim 1, wherein the adjustment assembly comprises: a first bracketconnected to the basketball goal; and a second bracket connected to thefirst bracket and the support structure, the second bracket being sizedand configured to be connected to the first bracket in a plurality ofrelative positions.
 3. The portable basketball system as in claim 2,wherein the adjustment assembly comprises: a third bracket connected tothe basketball goal; and a fourth bracket connected to the third bracketand the support structure, the fourth bracket being sized and configuredto be connected to the third bracket in a plurality of relativepositions.
 4. The portable basketball system as in claim 2, wherein thesecond bracket includes an opening sized and configured to receive afastener in a plurality of positions to connect the second bracket tothe first bracket in a plurality of relative positions.
 5. The portablebasketball system as in claim 2, wherein the first bracket includes anopening sized and configured to receive a fastener in a plurality ofpositions to connect the second bracket to the first bracket in aplurality of relative positions.
 6. The portable basketball system as inclaim 2, wherein the backboard comprises a frame portion and a reboundportion connected to the frame portion; and wherein the first bracket isconnected to the frame portion of the backboard.
 7. The portablebasketball system as in claim 2, wherein the backboard comprises a frameportion and a rebound portion connected to the frame portion; andwherein the first bracket includes a receiving portion sized andconfigured to receive at least a part of the frame portion of thebackboard.
 8. The portable basketball system as in claim 7, wherein thereceiving portion comprises a notch.
 9. The portable basketball systemas in claim 1, wherein the rear support member, the first front supportmember and the second front support member of the support structure aredisposed in a generally tripod-shaped configuration.
 10. The portablebasketball system as in claim 1, wherein the first front support memberand the second front support member have generally the same length, andthe rear support member has a length that is greater than the length ofthe first front support member and the second front support member. 11.The portable basketball system as in claim 1, wherein the first frontsupport member and the second front support member are connected to therear support member at a location above a midpoint of the rear supportmember.
 12. The portable basketball system as in claim 1, wherein theadjustment assembly is sized and configured to tilt the basketball goalforward and backwards while the basketball goal is any of a plurality ofgenerally fixed heights.
 13. The portable basketball system as in claim1, further comprising one or more feet movably connected to the supportstructure, the feet being sized and configured to be moved between afirst position in which the basketball goal is in a first orientationand a second position in which the basketball goal is in a secondorientation.
 14. A portable basketball system comprising: a basketballgoal including a backboard and a rim; a base; a support structureconnected to the base, the support structure being sized and configuredto support the basketball goal above a playing surface, the supportstructure comprising: a rear support member including a lower endconnected to a rear portion of the base and an upper end connected tothe basketball goal; a first front support member including a lower endconnected to a front portion of the base and an upper end connected tothe rear support member; and a second front support member including alower end connected to the front portion of the base and an upper endconnected to the rear support member; a first foot connected to thefirst front support member, the first foot being sized and configured tobe moved between a first position in which the basketball goal is in afirst orientation and a second position in which the basketball goal isin a second orientation; and a second foot connected to the second frontsupport member, the second foot being sized and configured to be movedbetween a first position in which the basketball goal is in a firstorientation and a second position in which the basketball goal is in asecond orientation.
 15. The portable basketball system as in claim 14,wherein the rear support member, the first front support member and thesecond front support member of the support structure are disposed in agenerally tripod-shaped configuration.
 16. The portable basketballsystem as in claim 14, further comprising an adjustment assemblyconnected to the basketball goal and the support structure, theadjustment assembly sized and configured to adjust the orientation ofthe basketball goal.